Barking machine



ffnpt: l0,l 1929: o; E; sT. JOHN BARKING HACK-INE Filed' Sept. is. 19272 Sheets-Shee W. 1. VJ m m MM m a .fll r a @M a mf, WSJ/ wm ww. [Ep/1Wv.` y. w n r me d w w 3 m Sept. l0, 1929. Q, E, 5T JQHN 1,727,491

' BARKING IACKINE Filed Sept. 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 if/ofwel.

Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES ORESTA E. ST. JOHN, OF GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK.

BARKING MACHINE.

Application led September 16, 1927.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction of machineespecially designed to remove the bark from logs in preparing them forutilization in the making of veneers for the manufacture of baskets,wood pulp and materials for other purposes.

Heretofore, it has been customary to manually remove the bark from logsby use of a suitable cutting tool, such as an adz, for eX- ample. Amethod of this character is slow and costly and unless considerable careand skill is given to the operation, the results are not satisfactoryand are more or less wasteful.

My improved barking machine is so constructed that the logs aresupported and rotated and during such rotation treated to the action ofa revolving barking cutter which removes the bark and, at the same time,re-

duces the outer surface to a more or less cylindrical form, and moreoveris so constructed that the barking cutter may be moved out of the way ofthe finished log and the supporting means therefor may also be moved outof sustaining position to permit the log to roll downward by gravity fortransference to the veneer cutting or other machine for subsequenttreatment. The log supporting means is thereafter again adjusted int-oposiso tion, a new log rolled down in contact therewith, and the barkingcutter again brought into action, all of which is performed in a rapidmanner and with accurate results whereby all of the logs are treated tosubstantially the same barking operation.

My invention, therefore, comprehends and includes mechanical organizedmeans cooperating for carrying out the aforesaid operations.

4o My invention also includes various details of construction which arefully described hereinafter and which, together with the features aboveenumerated, are more fully defined in the claims.

4 5 My invention will be better understood by reference to the drawings,in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved barking machine;Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical section of aportion of the machine, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Serial No. 219,853.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the barking cuttersustaining means.

2 is the main frame and may be constructed 1n any convenient form. At ornear its middle portion, it is provided with a `transverse shaft 3supported in bearings 4and provided with a sprocket wheel 34 by which itis rotated under the power derived from a sprocket chain 33. This shaftis also provided with two sprocket wheels 5, 5, conveniently spacedapart somewhatless than the length of the logs 18 to be barked andrespectively combined with obliquely arranged driven endless chains 6,6, the other or forward looped ends of which` are guided about sprocketwheels 8, 8, secured to a shaft 9 which is loosely journaled in thebearings 10, 10, on the forward portion of the main frame 2. Thesechains 6, 6, are provided with teeth 7 for engaging the under portion ofthe log `70 l18 and causing it to be rotated during the' barkingoperation to be later described.

Somewhat in advance of the shaft 9 is a transverse rock shaft 11 whichis journaled in bearings 12, 12, on the main frame 2 and 75 is providedwith arms 13, 13, which consti` tute rests or supports for the logduring the time of its being positioned preliminary to and during theact of being barked. The end of the rock shaft-9 is provided with a gearsegment 15 which is actuated by a worm 14 having a shaft 16 and handwheel 17. By rotating the hand wheel` 17 one way or the other, rockshaft 11 and the rests or supports 13, 13, carried thereon may beadjusted for sustaining the log 18 in the desired position with respectto the barking cutter 23 and which may also control the extent of depthand speed of barking. As indicated in Fig. 1, the rest or support 13 is90 adjusted slightly away fromthe log so as to let the latter press uponthe revolving cutter 23, and it will be understood that more or lessadjustment of the said rest or support is desirable to prevent too heavycutting of the log per revolution of the cutter and, at the same time,to keep the movenient of the log toward the cutter under control toprevent waste of material by too deep cutting. ln this way, the depth ofthe permitit to be discharged under its; own` weight. After dischargingthe barked log, the rests or supports are again raised to the normalposition shown to receive and sus tain another log to be barked.

The frame 19 is hinged upon transverse studs 20, 20",. carried upontheupper portion of themain frame 2 so as to have capacity to oscillate.The forward portion of the pivoted frame 19 is provided with journalbearings22, 22., in which is jgournal'ed the rotating cutter spindle 21upon which are threaded the milling cutters 23a and by which they areoperated as av cylindrical barking cutter 23,. the cutting teeth ofwhich are preferably arranged1 in alinement parallel to the axis ofthespindleand whereby they mill er cut the' bark of the log away to thedesired depth to` give, it a clean surface of cylindrical fornr., Thisbarking cutter 23 is positively `driven at a high speed by a sprocketldrive chain 25 and sprocket wheel 24; on ,the spindle shaft 21.y v

- Referring to Fig.. 1, the barking cutter 23 runs anti-clockwise as do,also the sprocket chains 6,5 6 which rotate the4 log during the barkingoperation thereonby the barking cutter. It will be observed, however,that the barking cutter is rotated at ai .much greater speed than arethe chains 6,6, so as toinsure a ysmoother and better finish to the.surface ofthe barked loe. j

The pivoted frame 1,9 has upon its rear portion the. electric motor 30,the. weight of which, augmented with addi-tional weights placed in thebox 351y provides more or less counter-balancing of the forward portionof the frame andbar'king cutter 23.' Thel motor is provided with asprocket wheel 3.1 on

. the end of its shaft and said; sprocket wheel drives a sprocketchain-'29 which, in turn, drives a sprocket wheet 28 (Fig. 3). The

. sprocket wheel 28, isconnected with sprocket wheels 2.7 and 32, theformer operatingv the barking cutter through chain 275` andi the lratteroperating the feeding chains 6, 6,

i. through shaft 23, sprocket wheel 34 and chain 33. wheels, the speedsof the: operative parts may By proportioning the sprocket be j modifiedas desired In operation, the` barking cutter 23 should have capacity tobe adjusted` down in. front ofthe log asin 1l, but heldv againstcontacting with the restsor supports 13, and to secure these resultsr Iprovide adjustable abutments 33, 38, inthe form of screws carried on themain frame2 and upon which the arnis of the pivoted frame 19 rest. Thecapacity for adjustment above noted would be for logs of a greaterdiameter. Any other means for adjustment may be provided for in lieu ofthat shown.

To facilitate the raising and lowering of the pivoted frame 19 and thebarking cutter 23 thereof, the forwardly projecting portieiisfef saidframe-may be provided with handle portions 26 extending forward of theframe and cutter, said handles providing convenient means ata distancefrom the cutter wliereat the lifting force may be applied and thus `notonly insuring protection against injury by the cutter, but also somewhatincreasing theleverage and hence the effective power in lifting theframe 19 and the cutter.

In the organisation of parts shown, the log 13 is driven clockwise bythe action of the chains 6 whereas the barking cutter 23 is revolvedanti-clockwise which insures the cutter clearing itself from the barkedparticles during the cutting operation, but I donut restrict myself tothis particular rotati-o lof the log and cutter.

l 1While the logs may be fed forward upon the chains C any convenientmanner,l I prefer to provide immediately to the rear of the shaft 3 atable or support 36 upon which logs to be barked may be positionedpreliminary to their being fed into barking position. 'lhis table may beprovided with end guides 37, 3i, by which the logs may be centralizedrelatively to the chains 6, 6, which are ultimately to receive them. Thesprocket wheels 2i', 23,` 32, shown more clearly in. Figs.. 2 and 3,.lare connected together by a sleeve which revolves upon the stud 2O and.constitutes, asl it were, a counter-shaft 4between the motor 30 and thedriven. shafts 3- and l2,1, and while the said shafts are Vdriven from.the same motor, the diameters o f the sprocket wheels in the powertransmitting means .are so proportioned that the speed shaft 3 togetherwith the chains 6, 6,: will be relatively slowed down while thev shaft21. and the cutter 23 thereon will be speeded up relatively to the speedof the motor.

lllhile I have employed the short studs 20 upon which the pivoted frame19 is supported. instead of using a continuous shaft,

in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to beunderstood that I do not restrict myself to the details, as the same aresusceptible of modification in various particulars with-out departingfrom the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. In a machine of the character stated, the combination of a support tosustain a log while permitting it to rotate, a pair of endless chainsfor operating upon the log to cause the same to rotate in relation toits support, a revolving barking cutter arranged above the supportingmeans for removing the bark from the log having a cutting length equalto the length of the log to be barked, adjustable supporting means formoving the barking cutter into and out of cutting positionssimultanenously along thewhole length of the log, and power means foroperating the barking cutter and also the endless chains for rotatingthe log.

2. The invention according to claim l, wherein further, devices areprovided for moving' the log sustaining support out of sustainingposition to permit the log to discharge itself by gravity from therotating chains and said log sustaining support.

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein further, means areprovided for a relative adjustment between the barking cutter and thelog support whereby the log may be caused to normally press against thecutter and be held thereby out of interference with the support untilthe proper amount of bark has been removed when the support will thenstop the feeding of the log to the cutter.

1l. The invention according to claim l, wherein further, the log supportis adjustable and means are provided for adjusting the supportrelatively to the barking cutter whereby the log may be sustained indifferent operative positions relatively to the cutter for controllingthe depth of the barking produced.

5. The invention according to claim l, wherein further, means areprovided for moving the log support into and out of sustaining positionwhereby the log is sustained by the cutter until the barking opera-tionis completed and the log rests against the support and thereafter uponthe removal of the cutter from cutting position the support is moved outof sustaining position to permit the finished log to discharge itself bygravity.

6. In a machine of the character stated, the combination of a mainframe, two transverse shafts journaled therein and one of which is lowerthan the other sprocket wheels upon said shafts, endless sprocket chainsabout said sprocket wheel and connecting the shafts into operativerelation said chains extending in an oblique direction and operating torotate the log to be treated, a pivoted frame hinged to the upper partof the main frame, a barking cutter journaled in said hinged framewhereby it may be raised and lowered by adjustment of said frame, powermeans on the hinged frame, and power transmitting means therefrom tooneof the sprocket wheel shafts journaled in the main frame foroperating the sprocket chains driven thereby and also for rotating thebarking cutter while permitting its adjustment relatively to or from thesprocket chains, and supporting means for a log to be barked arrangedbetween the barking cutter and the obliquely arranged sprocket chains.

7. The invention according to claim 6, wherein further, the supportingmeans for the log comprise a transverse rockshaft having upwardlyextending arms secured thereto, and mechanical means for rocking therockshaft for adjusting the supporting arms in and out of supportingposition.

8. The invention according to claim 6, wherein further, the pivotedframe is more or less counter-balanced by having the power meansarranged on the pivoted frame to the opposite side of the pivot thereofto that in which the barking cutter is journaled.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

@RESTA E. ST. JOHN.

